To a Lady Who Wished I Would Love Her
Now you have granted me permission to love,
What will you act?
Am I to your mirth, or emotion stir,
When I begin to court;
Will you torment, or disdain, or love me too?
Every minor beauty can disdain, and I
In spite of your dislike
Absent your leave can perceive, and succumb;
Dispense a grander Destiny!
’Tis easy to ruin, you can form.
Then allow me leave to cherish, & love me too
Not with intent
To uplift, as Loves cursed insurgents do
As whining Versifiers moan,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their tearful eyne.
Sadness is a pool and shows not bright
Your grace's beams;
Joyes are pure streames, your gaze look
Sullen in more sorrowful layes,
Within cheerfull numbers they shine luminous with acclaim.
That may not refer to describe you lovely
Harms, fires, and arrows,
Tempests in your brow, nets in your hair,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or else to deceive, or afflict ensnared hearts.
I will make your gaze like sunrise stars look,
As gentle, and fayr;
Your countenance as Crystall even, and clear,
And your unkempt locks
May stream like a calm Area of the Ayr.
Abundant Nature’s hoard (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will expend, to embellish
Your charms, if your Mine of Delight
In equall appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we each other bless.
Delving into the Verse's Ideas
The piece delves the interplay of love and acclaim, as the poet addresses a woman who requests his devotion. Conversely, he suggests a mutual arrangement of artistic admiration for private delights. The phraseology is elegant, combining polished norms with direct expressions of longing.
Within the lines, the author spurns common motifs of unreturned passion, including grief and tears, stating they dim true charm. The speaker prefers delight and acclaim to emphasize the lady's attributes, assuring to portray her eyes as radiant suns and her tresses as flowing air. The method emphasizes a realistic yet clever perspective on connections.
Significant Elements of the Composition
- Mutual Exchange: The verse revolves on a suggestion of admiration in exchange for enjoyment, emphasizing parity between the parties.
- Spurning of Traditional Motifs: The poet condemns common poetic techniques like sadness and imagery of pain, preferring optimistic descriptions.
- Artistic Artistry: The application of mixed verse measures and cadence demonstrates the author's proficiency in verse, creating a graceful and engaging experience.
Wealthy Nature’s store (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I shall spend, to adorn
One's graces, if your Mine of Joy
In equall appreciation
Thou but release, so we each other grace.
This stanza encapsulates the central arrangement, in which the author promises to use his inventive gifts to celebrate the maiden, in exchange for her openness. The language mixes pious undertones with earthly longings, providing depth to the poem's message.